Pages

Sunday, January 29, 2017

Ginger, ayurveda and it multiple uses.

Origins and History

The origin of ginger is not unknown for certain, and it is not
known to grow wild, but it is grown in many tropical climates around the world.
Nevertheless, since antiquity, there have been references to its cultivation
and medicinal use in ancient China and India, suggesting that it may have
originated somewhere between northern India and eastern Asia.

Ginger is the oldest spice to reach Europe. One tale recounts
the first gingerbread make by a baker of Rhodes (a Greek island) around 2400
BC. In the fifth century BC, the Persian trade missions sent to India by King
Darius, brought back ginger. In China, Confucius mentions the medicinal
properties of ginger and the Greek physician and botanist Dioscorides, author
of the Materia Medica, similarly
extolled its virtues. In the trades from the Arab World to Rome, from Spain to
Jamaica and from the Red Sea to Alexandria, ginger was exchanged as the most
popular spice after pepper.

Half the world’s ginger is produced on the Indian Malabar
Coast, in the cities of Calicut and Cochin, with the latter being considered of
superior quality. However, according to expert chefs, the ideal ginger for
cooking comes from Jamaica.

Native Region and
Climate

Ginger is a lush-looking tropical perennial plant with erect,
leafy shoots about ¼ inch in diameter, which grows up to 4 feet in height.
Ginger is a knobby rhizome -- the
underground stem of the plant, and not the root of the plant, as commonly
thought.

Ginger derives its intense flavor from it gingerol, with
variations in gingerol content depending on where the plant was grown and when
it was harvested. This is why we see a range in the spiciness, sweetness or
tanginess of fresh ginger, with temperatures ranging from mild to hot.

Healing Properties

In Ayurveda, ginger is considered pungent, sweet and heating.
The part used for preparation of medicine is the rhizome (underground stem).
Ginger acts on all tissues of the body, as well as on the 5 elements. The
systems that benefit the most from ginger are the digestive and respiratory
systems.

Uses

Ginger may be one of the most versatile spices in your kitchen,
and has plenty of medicinal uses. It the kitchen, it’s tangy freshness, slight
spiciness and pungent sweetness complement a range of dishes, from sweet to
savory.

As a natural medicine you can use
it in infusions, decoctions, powder ( 250 to 500 mg.), fresh juice.

Keep in mind that dry ginger is hotter
and drier than fresh ginger. It is better use dry ginger as a stimulant,
expectorant or to increase digestive fire. Use fresh ginger as a diaphoretic
(to induce sweating), for colds, cough, vomiting and deranged vata.

Medicinal Uses

Ayurveda and Chinese medicine are the most experienced sciences
to record the health benefits of ginger. They also mention a variety of
preparations where ginger plays a fundamental role in the care of lungs and
digestive health.

The action of ginger in the body is stimulant, diaphoretic,
expectorant, carminative, antiemetic, aphrodisiac, nervine, sialagogue and
analgesic.

With those actions in mind, let’s mention a few benefits that
have been scientifically proven in different studies in commercial labs and
universities:

Ginger is a sattvic ( pure) spice and can be used by children
and elderly. The only consideration is when there is excess of heat in the body
( pitta), it should be used in small doses. Ginger should be used with
precaution in cases of inflammatory skin diseases, high fever, bleeding and
ulcers.

Another consideration is in the processing of the ginger. White
ginger, used in Japanese cooking is made by putting the fresh ginger in fennel
and smoke it with sulphur. Japanese pink ginger
is also colored and preserved in low quality vinegars. These two ways of
processing ginger are not recommended for consumption.

Fresh hands of ginger are available from most greengrocers and
should be plump, firm and clean. Store fresh ginger in an open container in the
cupboard in the same way as you keep your fresh onions and garlic.

Minced or grated ginger can be bought and preserved in vinegar
in a glass jar; these must be refrigerated after opening. Ginger preserved in
syrup or crystallized needs to be kept in a cool, dry environment.

Ginger is processed in two main ways. One is to make ginger
preserves, either in a brine, syrup or crystallized form; the other method is
by drying, to produce dried sliced ginger or ginger powder.

Tips to put more ginger
in your diet:

●Sprinkledriedginger and jaggery (cane sugar) on
acorn squash or sweet potatoes before baking;

●Finely grate fresh ginger over tofu or noodles;

●Sprinkle ground ginger in applesauce or your morning
granola;

●To nourish plasma, take one cup of grape juice
and add a pinch each of cardamom, fresh ginger
and saffron.

This fearless Thai flavoured sauce
takes 5 minutes to make and can be use in many dishes, salads and dips. This
warming sauce can be prepared ahead and kept in the fridge for 5 to 10 days.
You can also serve it cold as a strong dinner complement.

The olive oil can be substituted
with coconut milk, almond milk, or sesame oil. I like to make mine with coconut
milk if I am using it immediately, or sesame oil to preserve it in the fridge
for a longer period of time.

This sauce is an excellent
digestive and medicine for Vatta and kapha doshas. Pitta can make this sauce
with coconut milk to balance its heating properties.

Procedure
Cut the limes in half and the ginger into small pieces, Put all of the
ingredients into a blender for 3 minutes on high speed, or until a smooth sauce
is formed. Bottle in a glass jar and
refrigerate.Makes 1 1/2 cups of
sauce.

Medicinal Recipes Using
Ginger

For indigestion: Mix
equal parts gingerjuice with lemon juice and
rock salt (found in Indian groceries) and take just before meals. This juice
cleanses the throat and tongue and increases the appetite.

For biliousness: Excessive
bile secretion can cause nausea, abdominal discomfort, headache, and constipation.
Take ginger juice with organic cow milk (2:7 radio), boil to half volume and
add rock-candy powder and take before bed. Other option is to mix ginger juice
(1 part) with mango juice (2 parts), cane sugar (100 grams) and cow ghee (2
tsp), mix and melt to half the quantity and take morning and evenings.

For sore throats or
laryngitis: Chew a piece of fresh ginger.

For diarrhea: Rub
fresh ginger juice on the navel.

Nausea or vomiting:
Make a juice with fresh ginger and ½ onion.

Tea to restore internal fire:

Ingredients:1 tsp of dry ginger powder
10 to 12 leaves of tulsi, you can use dry tulsi ( 2 tsp.)
10 mint leaves
2-3 cloves of garlic.
1 tsp of honey (add at the end, once cooled) or jaggery.

Boil of ingredients in one cup of water and reduced it to 1/2 cup.
Drink the tea every 2-3 hours for 2 or 3 days.